Although a very destructive and efficient bomb, the "Mills" has the
confidence of the thrower, in that he knows it will not explode until
released from his grip.

It is a mechanical device, with a lever, fitted into a slot at the
top, which extends half way around the circumference and is held in
place at the bottom by a fixing pin. In this pin there is a small
metal ring, for the purpose of extracting the pin when ready to throw.

You do not throw a bomb the way a baseball is thrown, because, when in
a narrow trench, your hand is liable to strike against the parados,
traverse, or parapet, and then down goes the bomb, and, in a couple of
seconds or so, up goes Tommy.

In throwing, the bomb and lever are grasped in the right hand, the
left foot is advanced, knee stiff, about once and a half its length to
the front, while the right leg, knee bent, is carried slightly to the
right. The left arm is extended at an angle of 45 degrees, pointing in
the direction the bomb is to be thrown. This position is similar to
that of shot-putting, only that the right arm is extended downward.
Then you hurl the bomb from you with an overhead bowling motion, the
same as in cricket, throwing it fairly high in the air, this in order
to give the fuse a chance to burn down so that when the bomb lands, it
immediately explodes and gives the Germans no time to scamper out of
its range or to return it.

As the bomb leaves your hand, the lever, by means of a spring, is
projected into the air and falls harmlessly to the ground a few feet
in front of the bomber.